Injured pensioner rescued from Ayrshire beach as emergency services scrambled to scene

Daily Record

28-04-2025

Girvan 's lifeboat crew were called out twice over the weekend to rescue an injured pensioner and a stricken vessel. A 76-year-old man was rescued in a "multi-agency recovery" after becoming injured during a beach clean up on Saturday, April 26 before a boat which had suffered a "mechanical failure" was towed back to Troon harbour on Sunday, April 27. Emergency services were called out to the injured beach cleaner north of Croy Shore at around 12.15pm on Saturday and coastguard rescue teams from Girvan and Ballantrae initially assisted the Scottish Ambulance Service to assess the casualty. The man had broken his leg on the beach and Girvan RNLI were called in to rescue him from the beach. He was then taken back to Girvan aboard the lifeboat, transferred ashore and handed back into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service to be take to Crosshouse Hospital for treatment. Gary McGarvie, 2nd Coxwain, said: "This is the second such multi agency incident in a few weeks, where the safest and easiest way of extracting the casualty from the location has been by lifeboat. "We work constantly with other agencies as well as train with them, which makes incidents like this run very smoothly. "It shows the value we have to other agencies and emergency services as a valuable asset to assist them as well as attending our own rescues and various incidents. "Everyone at Girvan Lifeboat Station wishes the casualty a speedy recovery." The following day, the volunteers at Girvan RNLI were then called out at around 2.40pm to a stricken fishing vessel which was unable to steer following a "mechanical failure". Located northwest of Turnberry Lighthouse, the trawler was unable to sail safely around the rocky outcrop around the lighthouse. Girvan lifeboat crew took the vessel under tow and guided it safely back to Troon where repairs could be made. A spokesperson for RNLI Girvan said: "For the second time this weekend, at 2.39pm today, Sunday, April 27, Girvan Lifeboat's volunteer crews' pagers rang out and signalled an end to whatever our crewmembers had planned for the day. "Hastily dropping whatever they were doing, whether that be work, family time, having a meal out or literally just enjoying the weekend, our volunteer crew assembled at the lifeboat station for a briefing. "Details passed from Belfast Coastguard was that a 14.5m fishing vessel was North West of Turnberry lighthouse and the rocky outcrop it sits upon and that the trawler crew had lost their ability to steer the boat due to mechanical failure. "Making best speed North, Girvan's all-weather Shannon Class Lifeboat 'Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan' was soon on scene and assessing the situation. The decision was made to take the boat under tow. "To enable the fishing boat to undergo repairs, our crew began the long haul slowly towards the port of Troon. "Some three hours of towing later when nearing the port, RNLI Troon's D-Class lifeboat also launched in case assistance was needed berthing the boat. "However, in this instance the D-Class wasn't required and stood by and escorted Girvan Lifeboat and her casualty into port. "With the vessel berthed safely and handed into the care of the awaiting Coastguard Rescue teams, Girvan Lifeboat then headed home back towards Girvan at a more spritely pace than had seen it arrive at Troon, arriving back in Girvan at around 9pm where the lifeboat was washed, refuelled and made ready for the next service call. "If you see or believe someone to be in trouble at sea or along our coast dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard." Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter